Analyzing the Blank in the Passage Completion Question

The question asks us to fill in a blank in the sentence fragment "Old days when ______ were fought" from the provided passage. To find the correct word, we need to consider the meaning of the surrounding words and the context of the entire passage.

Evaluating the Options for "Old days when ______ were fought"

Let's look at the options provided and see which one makes the most sense when combined with the phrase "were fought":

• Quarreled: While people can 'quarrel' or 'have quarrels', the phrase 'quarreled were fought' or 'quarrels were fought' is not standard English usage. 'Quarreling' is an action, not something that "is fought" in this grammatical structure.
• Squabbled: Similar to 'quarreled', 'squabbled' is an action. The phrase 'squabbled were fought' or 'squabbles were fought' is also not standard English. Squabbles are typically 'had' or 'involved in fighting', but not 'fought' as the subject of the sentence.
• Battles: This option is a noun. 'Battles are fought' is a very common and correct phrase in English. Historical periods, or "old days", are often characterized by battles or warfare. This fits grammatically and contextually with the idea of conflict mentioned later in the passage ("being attacked").
• Won: This is the past participle of the verb 'win'. The phrase 'won were fought' is grammatically incorrect and makes no sense in this context. 'Battles were won' is correct, but the blank requires the subject that 'were fought', not the outcome of the fighting.

Based on the grammatical structure and the meaning of the words, "Battles" is the only option that correctly completes the phrase "Old days when ______ were fought". Battles are things that are fought.

Contextual Fit within the Passage

The passage talks about "old days when ______ were fought" and later mentions "there was ______ of being attacked without _______". The idea of things being "fought" and the potential for "being attacked" strongly suggest a context of conflict or warfare. "Battles" aligns perfectly with this theme, referring to organized fights between opposing forces.

Therefore, "Battles" is the most appropriate word to fill the blank, making the sentence read "Old days when Battles were fought".

Revision Table: Analyzing Word Usage

Additional Information on Passage Completion Strategy

Passage completion questions test your vocabulary, grammar, and ability to understand context. Here are some tips:

• Read the passage once to get the overall meaning.
• Read the sentence with the blank carefully.
• Look at the words immediately before and after the blank. These are often key clues.
• Consider the grammatical role the missing word plays (noun, verb, adjective, etc.).
• Evaluate each option to see if it fits grammatically and makes sense in the sentence.
• Check if the chosen word fits the overall context and tone of the entire passage.

In this specific case, understanding that "were fought" requires a subject that is typically fought, like "Battles", and connecting it to the theme of conflict in the passage was crucial.